GREE Multi-family Housing | Suum21 Architecture

GREE Multi-family Housing client: During our initial meeting, we were amazed by the client’s exceptional intellect. As someone in the financial industry, they had extensively researched multi-family housing and architecture. Living in a high-rise apartment with a breathtaking view of the city, the client prioritized a feeling of openness and privacy. They had a passion for music and desired a cozy area where they could indulge in it. Additionally, the client’s wife enjoyed hosting small gatherings with friends and envisioned a rooftop space equipped with a luxurious kitchen to accommodate these events.

Location of GREE Multi-Family Housing

The location of the site is a charming village with picturesque scenery. The site has a slope of approximately 1.9m along the 6m road on its west side. The client’s idea is to have an independent owner’s house and attached rental units arranged at right angles to the road, taking advantage of the site’s slope. However, the horizontal separation of the owner’s house on the 506㎡ site poses a privacy issue. Additionally, the attached house, consisting of 4 units spanning a length of 21m, creates a problem of noise. In response to these challenges, we proposed a solution that involves a vertical separation between the owner’s space and the rental spaces, creating a more three-dimensional layout.

In most apartment buildings, the typical layout includes a rental spaces with a staircase and elevator for vertical circulation. However, GREE Multi-family housing deviates from that design. Instead, each entry is accessed independently through a semi-private courtyard. The floor plan was carefully crafted to ensure each space is optimally utilized. Additionally, we prioritized providing pleasant views of gardens and small hills at the points where the circulation changes, as well as ensuring the main spaces have windows facing these views. Lastly, we incorporated various service spaces, such as private yards, terraces, sunken gardens, and attics, for each household. These spaces will add a special richness to the building and serve as small healing spots.

GREE Multi-family housing is designed to cater to the family’s lifestyle. The living room has a 7.2-meter window that offers a view of the spacious terrace and lower garden, creating a feeling of openness. An elevator connects the underground parking lot to the rooftop, passing through the kitchen. This allows for separate circulation between outsiders and daily life during gatherings while also providing convenient access from the kitchen to the rooftop.

Section

GREE Multi-family housing is divided by a courtyard, creating a village-like landscape with five gabled roofs. These roofs serve different purposes, with the largest one above the living room being a multi-purpose space near the rooftop. The attic for the master bedroom is like a secret hideout, and the third attic provides space for rental households. The front gable roof of GREE Multi-family housing offers privacy to the open space and provides shading to the lower kitchen through its louvers, creating playful shadows that change throughout the day.

The exterior finishing materials of GREE Multi-family housing used for the building included two types of granite and natural wood louvers. granite, known for its durability and resistance to contamination, is easy to maintain. It adds strength and a strong image to the building. The dark grey granite provides a calm tone base, while the bright copper-green granite creates a contrasting effect and highlights the change in mass. Additionally, IPE louvers were used to add a warm and soft touch to the building.

Project Info:

Architects: Suum21 Architecture
Area: 8026 ft²
Year: 2023
Photographs: Youngchae Park, Seonwoo Jung, Jongeun Lee
Manufacturers: Benjamin Moore, Ceasar, NJ Lighting, Veneta Cucine
Lead Architects: Jong-eun LEE
Structure Engineer: Taekyoung Structure E&G
Country: South Korea

Tags: Courtyard FS Granite Jongeun Lee private yards Seonwoo Jung South Korea Suum21 Architecture Youngchae Park

Mariam Abady

Mariam Abady is a dedicated editor at Arch2O, bringing a passion for sustainable and adaptive architectural practices. Based in Alexandria, she has contributed over 110 thoughtfully curated articles since joining in October 2023, showcasing her depth across cultural, educational, eco‑friendly, and urban infrastructure projects . With a background as a BIM engineer and architect, Mariam skillfully enhances the platform’s visual and thematic cohesion, staying attuned to emerging trends in lighting, material innovation, and urban design. Her editorial voice combines technical insight with creative storytelling, enriching Arch2O’s architectural discourse.